8 comments.

You sort of covered this, but I think you could use a section called CYCLISTS ARE NOT PEDESTRIANS.

One of my most frustrating situations as a cyclist is when I’m waiting to cross a 4-lane road that has a crosswalk and one car in one of the lanes stops as if I’m a pedestrian that’s going to use the crosswalk.

Sometimes I can get them to move along by ignoring them and looking in the other direction. Other times a line of cars builds up behind them, the cars in the lane next to them stop, and I get shamed into crossing, hoping that the cars in the opposing lanes will also stop. Sometimes I just give up, dismount, and use the crosswalk as a pedestrian.

The right-turn-from-the-bike-lane thing pisses me off. As a driver, not a cyclist. Because the bike lane is made for a BIKE. A car doesn’t fit. But without fail, they hit their signal (sometimes), pull over as far as they can, and then come to almost a complete stop as they attempt to get into the driveway they’re entering without hitting the curb when they could have made the turn quickly from the driving lane and not obstructed traffic.

Of course, where I live there is practically no bike traffic. I’m almost not sure why we have dedicated lanes.

Seeing as my cousin is still rehabillitating from the head injury caused by a bike accident last September (he was ‘doored’, as you apparently call it), this is quite appreciated. And well-written. Thank you.
Also, from the non-car-related side, please wear a helmet! Said cousin is now in rehabillitation and not six feet under solely because of that one piece of reinforced plastic. That seems to me like it’s worth any amount of helmet hair.

As a cyclist in London, I take my life in my hands everyday. Even when I do go out dressed as an luminescent fire fly, with full body armor, 4 torches front and rear, Hi visibility jacket and fog horn. The Mare Boris cycle everywhere Johnson has said he is looking into infrastructure projects to help make us safe – but to be honest I think I am about ready to throw it all in and join the countless others who arrive home safe each night – The Bike is going and I’m opting for the car!

Thanks to bicycle activists back in the 1970’s, I’ve got an easy time of it in the Netherlands today. As incredible as it sounds, my biggest bike commute worry is getting wet (which admittedly happens a lot).